Sunday, March 7, 2010

Fire pit and more fun

When Reid, Bridget, Will and Ellen were here, they had their own fire pit that I think they used quite often -- both for cooking and lounging around at night and on the weekends.

That pit was swallowed up by the new building here -- which is nearing completion, by the way -- so for about six months the TTL campus has been without the joys of outdoor fires.

Well, no more.

TTLF all-stars Sheila Block and Maura Costello, who arrived in town for a 12-day visit last Friday, joined me last Saturday in the construction effort. We all set to work digging and designing, and successfully built what you see in the picture here -- a solid pit made of cinderblocks and rocks that we have already used to cook steaks, chicken and sausage.

The sausage was provided by the caregivers here at the safe house, who we had a big party with this weekend -- along with the rest of the TTL staff -- to send Sheila and Maura back home in style.

The party was a blast, with lots of ululating and dancing among the bo m'e, or women, and classic Basotho stick fighting among the bo ntate, or men. It was sweet.

As for the new pit, it's good fun to stoke the fire and chop logs -- something I've perfected at a novice level -- under all the stars here, and I'm excited about the pit's potential.